Iron Forman Manufacturing Case Study

The Challenge

When Iron Forman Manufacturing first contacted B.I.M.S., it wasn't because of their HVAC systems—it was because their paint oven had become unreliable and was affecting production.

The equipment manufacturer had determined that a factory technician would need to travel to the facility to diagnose and repair the problem, resulting in costly delays and production downtime. Rather than waiting days for a manufacturer representative to arrive, Iron Forman called B.I.M.S.

Our technicians quickly diagnosed the problem, repaired the paint oven, and restored it to proper operation without requiring the manufacturer to fly in a technician. This minimized downtime, reduced costs, and allowed production to continue.

After seeing our ability to troubleshoot and repair complex industrial equipment, Iron Forman asked B.I.M.S. to evaluate the rest of their mechanical systems, including their commercial HVAC equipment, warehouse heaters, chillers, exhaust systems, and ventilation equipment.

A Complete Mechanical System Assessment

B.I.M.S. performed a comprehensive preventive maintenance inspection of the facility's mechanical systems, including:

• Commercial rooftop HVAC units
• Split systems
• Warehouse heating equipment
• Chillers
• Industrial exhaust fans
• Ventilation systems
• Mechanical controls and associated equipment

Our inspection revealed numerous deficiencies that had accumulated over many years. It was evident that much of the equipment had not received consistent preventive maintenance, allowing small problems to develop into recurring failures.

We discovered worn mechanical components, electrical issues, airflow restrictions, ventilation deficiencies, control problems, deferred maintenance, and equipment operating outside of optimal conditions.

Iron Forman explained that they had experienced recurring HVAC and mechanical problems for years. Previous contractors had repaired individual failures, but the underlying issues remained, resulting in repeated service calls and unnecessary downtime.

The B.I.M.S. Solution

Rather than simply repairing equipment as it failed, B.I.M.S. developed a long-term reliability strategy focused on restoring every mechanical system to dependable operation.

Our technicians systematically corrected deficiencies throughout the facility by:

• Performing comprehensive preventive maintenance on HVAC equipment.
• Repairing long-standing mechanical and electrical issues.
• Restoring proper airflow throughout the facility.
• Servicing warehouse heaters to improve reliability and ensure safe operation during winter months.
• Inspecting and maintaining the facility's chillers for dependable year-round cooling.
• Servicing industrial exhaust fans and ventilation systems to improve air movement and maintain proper building ventilation.
• Verifying proper operation of mechanical controls.
• Correcting deficiencies that previous service providers had overlooked.
• Establishing an ongoing preventive maintenance program designed to prevent future breakdowns.

Instead of waiting for equipment to fail, B.I.M.S. focused on identifying and eliminating the root causes of recurring problems.

The Results

The improvements became evident throughout the summer.

By the end of the cooling season, Iron Forman reported significantly fewer HVAC and mechanical problems than they had experienced in previous years.

The customer also experienced:

• Fewer emergency service calls.
• Improved reliability of rooftop HVAC units and split systems.
• More dependable warehouse heating equipment.
• Reliable chiller performance.
• Better operation of exhaust and ventilation systems.
• Improved indoor comfort and air circulation.
• Reduced equipment downtime.
• Less disruption to manufacturing operations.
• Increased employee productivity because fewer equipment failures interrupted production.

Most importantly, Iron Forman told us they had experienced fewer HVAC and mechanical issues since B.I.M.S. assumed responsibility for maintaining their facility than they had with previous contractors.